Valve housing

ABSTRACT

A valve housing having two sections, one with an opening for the passage of medium through the valve and the other with a closure member to close the opening when one section is moved relative to the other to a closure position.

United States Patent 1191 Braukmann Nov. 26, 1974 VALVE HOUSING 1,862,111 6/1932 Conran 251 341 x 1,968,391 7/1934 H 'lt 251/341 X [75] Inventor: Bernhard Braukmann, Mosbach, 2,087,887 7/1937 251/341 x Germany 2,296,496 9/1942 Bortin 251/341 X 2,865,596 12/1958 Monnig 251/340 X [73] Assgnee' i k 'g l i 'g 2,945,703 7/1960 Ballard 251/348 x 22 219 1 1 92 2,954,806 10/1960 Kerr 1 251 341 x [22] Filed: Dec. 21, 1972 2,999,512 9 1961 Barkow 251/340 x [21] Appl' Primary Examiner1-1enry T. Klinksiek Attorney, Agent, or FirmWil1iam Anthony Drucker [52] US. Cl. 137/613, 251/341 [51] Int. Cl. F16k 11/10 57 ST CT [58] Field of Search 251/341, 345, 344, 351,

251/352 348 137/613 A valve housing havlng two sections, one w1th an opening for the passage of medium through the valve [56] References Cited and the other with a closure member to close the opening when one section is moved relative to the UNITED STATES PATENTS other to a closure position. 1,215,579 2/1917 Rose ..251 341x 1,344,383 6 1920 Conran 251 352 x 7 Claims, 6 Drawmg Flgures PATENTELHSVZSISH SHEET 10F 3 WET} illllllllllllllllllllllTlllTlllllllllllilllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllll km N l H v mm; 12126 W SHEEI 2 OF 3 VALVE HOUSING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a valved vent, or ventilator and/or aerator, having a housing comprised of at least two sections. The problem is to design such a housing so that it can, by virtue of this particular design, fulfil yet a further function.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve this problem a valved vent of the above mentioned kind is proposed which, according to the invention, comprises a pneumatic valved vent including at least two relatively movable housing sections having mutually co-operative parts adapted for close fitting engagement, guide means mounted on one of said parts being engageable with a helical groove provided in the other of said parts, a sealing ring mounted on the other of said parts coaxial with the helical groove for providing a seal between said mutually cooperative parts, and a closure member mounted on one of said housing sections for opening and closing an aperture provided in the other housing section, wherein upon relative movement of the housing sections the guide member is displaced relative to the helical groove to move the closure member towards or away from the aperture whereby, with the aperture closed, the valved vent may be removed from one of the housing sections. In contrast to the conventional housings the sections whereof are firmly interconnected and are only moved relative to one another, for example separated, for the purpose of assembly, dismantling or repair, in this invention such a relative rotary and/or sliding movement of at least two housing sections is possible and logical even in normal operation of this valve. This movement brings about an opening of the shut-off element formed In a preferred embodiment of the invention the closable opening of the one housing section is designed as a valve seat or provided with such a seat. A further feature of the invention is characterised in that a closure member, more particularly a valve dish or the like, is moulded onto or secured to the other housing section and both, i.e. this housing section and the valve dish, form one unit with regard to movement. Thus, when this housing section is rotated or shifted, then the valve dish is also rotated or shifted at the same time. Its movement is defined in one direction by contacting pressure against the valve seat and in the other direction by attaining the open position. Intermediate positions are, of course, also conceivable and then result in a specific throttling of the medium flowing through this valve. In a ventilator, the air or other gas to be separated from a liquid medium will flow through this valve. It is thus not envisaged for the medium itself to flow through this valve.

Instead of one helical guidance groove it is readily possible to provide a plurality of such grooves without the action or the mode of operation being affected thereby. When, for example, the slide ring or rings is or are stationary and the guidance groove is moved therepast, then a rotation of the section provided with the guidance groove will automatically result in a longitudinal guiding in conjunction with an approach or moving apart of the closure member to or from the passage opening. The same applies to a threaded connection of the two sections. It may then be advantageous for the valve dish to be rotatably but sealingly secured to the movable housing section so as to prevent damage to the valve seat and the closure member in the respective final phases of the movement.

It is of particular advantage for one of the housing sections to possess at least two index marks or an index scale and the other section to have an indication mark cooperating therewith. The open or closed position, for example, is thereby readily discernable from outside. When a scale is provided instead of start and end indicia, then any intermediate position can also be set or read off. Furthermore, it is very advantageous for at least one of the housing sections, especially the rotatable and/or slideable one, to be of plastics material.

When one of the sections is connected by screwing to a conduit or any other unit it is useful to manufacture this housing section of metal rather than of plastics, since a metal thread will generally stand greater load- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the drawing various exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section through oneembodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows the same appliance viewed sideways,

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section through a second embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 shows the half of a longitudinal section through a third embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 5 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention in longitudinal section, only partly illustrated and,

FIG. 6 again shows the lower end of a further variant of the invention in longitudinal section.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The automatic air vent or ventilator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2' has, in conventional manner, a float l and a ventilator valve 2. On the other hand the construction of its housing is novel. It consists of the upper section 3 with the cover 4 and the lower section 5. The two first mentioned components are made of plastics while the last mentioned section provided with a screw thread preferably consists of metal. According to the invention the upper section 3 and the lower section 5 are relatively movable, in this particular case rotatable relative to one another about the central longitudinal axis 8. If one proceeds therefrom that the lower section is firmly screwed into a conduit or a unit, then the upper section 3 will generally be rotated relative to the lower section 5. The O-ring 9 provides for perfect sealing between the two sections while the somewhat higher loof oval cross-section, formed by the two sections, provides the necessary cohesion in axially longitudinal direction.

In the circular disc-like base 12 a through bore 13 is eccentrically present for the venting medium. When the upper section 3 is rotated this through bore travels along a circular path. In this path there is a closure member 14 which is urged in axial direction against the underside of the base 12 by means of a spring 15. When the upper section 3 is rotated, proceeding from the position illustrated, as far as a stop, then the through bore 13 comes to rest exactly above the closure member 14 and the passage from the lower venting chamber 16 to the float chamber 17 is thereby shut off. Since an indicating mark 18 is provided on the lower section and two indicia 19 and 20 on the upper portion 3 it is possible to read off from outside, even when the housing is not transparent, whether the shut-off valve formed by the bore 13 and the closure member 14- is in its open or closed position. In order to enable reading from two sides two indication marks 18 are provided on the lower portion 5 and twice the number of corresponding indicia on the upper section 3, always offset by 180. For better reading off the angle of rotation is advantageously kept as small as possible. It suffices in principle if the entire diameter of the bore 13 is situated so as to be laterally just next to the closure member 14 and for shutting-off need merely be moved in peripheral direction about an angle of rotation corresponding to the diameter of the bore. The two indicia l9 and 20 may alternatively be replaced by a read-off scale and intermediate positions of this valve 13, 14 can thus be precisely set.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 both the upper section 3 and the lower section 5 as well as the float 1 are of plastics. The sealing between the upper section 3 and the lower section 5 is again performed by an O-ring 9. Both parts are further connected via a thread 21, 22, Le, with the lower section 5 stationary the upper section 3 can be lowered or raised by screw action. This relative movement can again be utilised for opening and closing a valve. In this case it consists of a valve seat 24 moulded onto the upper section 3. The valve seat is adjoined by a neck 23 of the upper section 3, which neck consists of four flaps. These flaps can be resiliently urged radially outward and together with the head of the closure member they form a kind of press stud closure. The closure member 25 is manufactured as one piece with the lower section 5 or at least non-rotatably connected thereto.

A rotation of the upper portion 3 thus results in the valve seat 24 being downwardly lowered or upwardly raised up to the closed position shown in FIG. 3. The closure member 25 may alternatively be executed in two parts in a manner not shown, the upper part then being introduced from above through a suitably wide bore of the upper section 3 into the closed, tubular neck 23 and sealingly connected to the lower part. In this case the closure member cooperates with the internal ring bulge at the lower end of the neck.

A variant similar to FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 5. Instead of a thread connection the lower section 5 is there provided with a helical groove 26 into which engages the stem 27 of one or more screws 28, arranged on the periphery at varying levels, in the manner of one or more slide rings. When the lower section 5 is again held fast, then a rotation of the upper section 3 results in its ascent or, if rotated in the opposite sense, its descent.

This can again be utilised for opening and shutting the valve formed of the annular valve seat 29 of the upper section 3 and the closure member 30 of the lower section 5.

Ribs 31 form suitable passages for the medium flowing through. Sealing is again performed with the aid of an O-ring 9 cooperating with a finely machined cylinder surface 32 of the neck-shaped lower end of the upper section 3.

In the variant shown in FIG. 6 a thread connection is again provided between the upper section 3 and the lower section 5. The exteriorly located, coaxially disposed securing ring 34 forms together with the stop moulded onto the upper housing section a strokelimitation means. The O-ring 9 performs the function of sealing the two housing sections, as in the other variants. The lower section 5 carries the annular valve seat 35 while the upper section 3 is equipped with the valve dish 36. Upon screw coupling the two sections 3, 5 the valve 35, 36 is again opened or closed. The lower section 5 is provided with a milled edge 37 with the aid of which it can be more easily screwed in or out.

The upper section 3 and the lower section 5 of the righthand half of FIG. 4 are again rotatably connected with each other. The axial security is again ensured by a ring 9 (sic!) cooperating with a groove 22, in a manner analogous to FIG. 1. The sealing ring 36 is on this occasion inserted in a groove at the face of the upper section 3.

Its compression is provided by the axial face 37 of the lower section 5. The latter is provided with a female thread 38 into which a thread 39 of a valve dish 40 is screwed. Longitudinally extending pins 42 of the upper housing section 3 engage into radial slots 41 of the valve dish 40, whereby the upper housing section 3 and the valve dish 40 are non-rotatably but in axial direction relatively displaceably connected. A rotation of the upper section 3 relative to the lower section 5 causes, by virtue of the thread connection 38, 39, on the one hand and of the slot/pin connection 41, 42 on the other hand, a rising movement, or, with oppositely directed rotation of the upper section 3, descent of the valve dish 40. The slots 41 simultaneously represent flow passages. Moreover, flow subsequently occurs between the pin-like attachments 42 of the upper section 3. FIG. 4 shows the open position of the valve dish 40 cooperating with the valve seat 43 of the upper section 3.

I claim:

1. An automatic air vent including at least two relatively movable housing sections having mutually cooperative parts adapted for close fitting engagement, guide means mounted on one of said parts being engageable with a helical groove provided in the other of said parts, a sealing ring mounted on the other of said parts coaxial with the helical groove for providing a seal between said mutually cooperative parts, and a closure member mounted on one of the said housing sections for opening and closing an aperture provided in the other housing section, wherein upon relative movement of the housing sections the guide member is displaced relative to the helical groove to move the closure member towards or away from the aperture, one of the said housing sections having removable ventilator means when said aperture is closed.

2. A valved vent according to claim 1, in which the closable opening of the other housing section is formed as a valve seat.

3. A valve according to claim 2 in which the closure member is an integral part of said one housing section and both sections form a unit as regards movement.

4. A valved vent according to claim 1, including a further removable housing section for closing one of said housing sections to form a chamber, said ventilator valve being located in said further housing section.

5. A valved vent according to claim 1 in which the one housing section possesses at least two index marks or a read-off scale and the other section possesses an indicating mark cooperating therewith.

6. A valved vent according to claim 1 in which at least one of the housing sections, especially the rotatable and/or slideable one, consists of plastics material.

7. A valve vent including three housing sections the first and second of which define a chamber therebetween and the second and third sections being relatively movable and having mutually co-operative parts adapted for close fitting engagement; a float mounted within the chamber; a ventilator valve located in the first housing section for venting the chamber; axial displacement means mounted on said second and third housing sections for axially displacing said second and third housing sections upon relative rotation therebetween; a sealing ring mounted on the second housing section coaxial with the axial displacement means for providing a seal between the second and third housing sections; and a closure member mounted on said third housing section for opening and closing an aperture in the second housing section, wherein upon relative movement of the second and third housing sections the axial displacement means is effective to displace said second and third housing sections one relative to the other to move the closure member towards or away from the aperture.

* l l =l 

1. An automatic air vent including at least two relatively movable housing sections having mutually co-operative parts adapted for close fitting engagement, guide means mounted on one of said parts being engageable with a helical groove provided in the other of said parts, a sealing ring mounted on the other of said parts coaxial with the helical groove for providing a seal between said mutually cooperative parts, and a closure member mounted on one of the said housing sections for opening and closing an aperture provided in the other housing section, wherein upon relative movement of the housing sections the guide member is displaced relative to the helical groove to move the closure member towards or away from the aperture, one of the said housing sections having removable ventilator means when said aperture is closed.
 2. A valved vent according to claim 1, in which the closable opening of the other housing section is formed as a valve seat.
 3. A valve according to claim 2 in which the closure member is an integral part of said one housing section and both sections form a unit as regards movement.
 4. A valved vent according to claim 1, including a further removable housing section for closing one of said housing sections to form a chamber, said ventilator valve being located in said further housing section.
 5. A valved vent according to claim 1 in which the one housing section possesses at least two index marks or a read-off scale and the other section possesses an indicating mark cooperating therewith.
 6. A valved vent according to claim 1 in which at least one of the housing sections, especially the rotatable and/or slideable one, consists of plastics material.
 7. A valve vent including three housing sections the first and second of which define a chamber therebetween and the second and third sections being relatively movable and having mutually co-operative parts adapted for close fitting engagement; a float mounted within the chamber; a ventilator valve located in the first housing section for venting the chamber; axial displacement means mounted on said second and third housing sections for axially displacing said second and third housing sections upon relative rotation therebetween; a sealing ring mounted on the second housing section coaxial with the axial displacement means for providing a seal between the second and third housing sections; and a closure member mounted on said third housing section for opening and closing an apertUre in the second housing section, wherein upon relative movement of the second and third housing sections the axial displacement means is effective to displace said second and third housing sections one relative to the other to move the closure member towards or away from the aperture. 